Box-covering mechanism.



E. T. BURLTON. BOX COVERING MECHANISM. APPLICATION HLED MAR.25, l9l6.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918'.

EDWARD THOMAS BUBLTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO STOKES 65 SMITH COMPANY, OF SUMMERDALE, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IENNSYLVANIA.

BOX-COVERING MECHANISM.

1 Specification of Letters latent.

Patented (bet. as, rare.

Box-Covering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in box covering mechanism and has particular application to means for covering cardboard and other boxes with adhesive wrappers or coverings Which overlie not only the outside of the box, but are turned over the edges of the latter and aflixed to the inside thereof.

In the present instance my invention is particularly adapted for the covering of box lids or similar structures havin less than four sides, or boxes with falling ronts or high ends.

In covering boxes or lids of this class, it is the practice to fold over and affix the marginal edge portions of the cover to the inside faces of the box or lid, and for this purpose machines have been employed embodying fingers for engaging the flaps of the cover to turn the latter inward of, the

box or lid; these flaps or marginal portions of the cover being usually vertically disposed when being applied to the box or lid.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide means by which the turned in flaps may be more efiiciently affixed and caused to more closely adhere to the inner side of the box or lid. It is also m purpose to subject the flaps of the cover to a direct pressing action, after such flaps have been turned in, so as to insure the complete adhesion between the flaps and the inner surface of the lid.

Furthermore, I propose to provide a covering machanism which will embody the desired featuresof simplicity, reliability and convenience.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawlngs,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the middle form block of a box covering machine equipped with my invention, the pressure blocks embraced in such invention being shown intheir normal, non-expanded position. d

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the three form blocks for operating upon the box or box lid, the present blocks be ng shown in normal, non-expanded position,

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the pressing action in which the blocks are expanded against the flaps as in applying the cover to \the box or lid.

Fig. 4: is a detail view showing a modified form of the device.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a three sided box lid and showing the cover ap-' plied thereto with the marginal edges and flaps of the cover ready to be turned in against the inside of the box.

Before entering into a detailed descrip tion of the invention, I will briefly state that in the preferred form shown herein the vertical cover flaps, after they have been turned in, are adapted to be subjected to a direct pressing action so as to insure the complete adhesion between the flaps and the inner surface of the box or lid.

For this purpose, a convenient part of the mechanism, preferably one of the form blocks on which the box or lid is placed, may be provided with a pair of sliding pressing blocks, which, after the vertical flaps have been turned in, are caused to move outwardly so that their faces press the flaps against the inner surface of the sides of the box or lid, which are supported as usual in machines of this class, by external pressers or other suitable means. The sliding pressing blocks may be fitted to either the top or the middle form block, but preferably the middle form block is employed, and these blocks are controlled and actuated by a wedge device mounted on the top form block, which, when the top form block descends upon the middle form block at the final operation, forces apart the two sliding pressing blocks so that their outer faces press upon the flaps of the cover.

While the preferred form of pressing device, above mentioned, may be conveniently 'litted to a form block, as shown herein, it may in some cases be carried by other parts of the box covering machine, such as the mechanism which operates the usual external pressers and the turning in fingers heretofore recited.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs.

'1'3 inclusive, the letter A indicates the middle form block; B designates the top form block, while the bottom or under form block is shown at C. The box or box lid to be covered is conveniently shown at D and is illustrated in detail in Fig. 5, the cover being indicated as an entiretyv at D, this cover having small vertical flaps d, which in Fig. 1 are shown in full lines as turned in against the adjacent side walls of the box orbox lid, this turning in having been accomplished by means of suitable fingers or other mechanism. In order to firmly and securely press these vertical turned in flaps d against the inside of the box or box lid, I preferably mount upon the middle form block A, a pair of oppositely-disposed presser blocks EE, each of whlch is fastened to the outer end of a horizontally disposed shank bar 6, which Slides in a suitable carrier 6 secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices 6 to the side of the middle form block. The inner end of each shank bar 0 is providedwith an upturned or vertically extending arm a these arms 6 of the two blocks normally lying slightly spaced apart at the center line of the form block when the device is not in operative position, for I provide. a contraction spring S, which is connected at its ends to eyes 8 fastened to the blocks EE,

the tendency of the spring being to draw the two blocks inward or toward each other,

as shown in Fig. 1. The upper, end of each up-turned' arm a is beveled 'as at e for the convenient reception of the V-shaped end portion 7 of the wedge plate F, which is screwed or otherwise secured at f to the side of the top form block B, this wedge when moved, as hereinafter described,

thrusting itself between the pair of arms 6 and thus sliding or forcing the blocks E outward or. away from each other and into contact with the inturned flaps d, as shown in Fig. 3. Before these vertical flaps d are pressed by the blocks E they are turned or tucked in by suitable mechanism, which as it forms no part of the present invention, need not machine.

be described. When so tucked in, these turned in ends assume the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, without being positively pressed against the inner side of the boxor box lid. lhe box or box lid I) is held between the middle form block A and the bottom form block C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the sides of the box or box lid are also supported externally by the usual external pressers employed in this class of The middle form block A is wearer nism. Prior to the pressing action of the blocks E upon the flaps d the upper form block B is raised above themiddle form block A, as shown in Fig. .2, so that the pressing blocks EE are drawn back to allow the flaps d to be turned in. When the top form block descends the wedge F enters between the beveled ends of the upturned arms e of the shank bars carrying the presser blocks EE and thus drives the presser blocks apart, as shown in Fig. 3, causing the outer faces ofthe blocks to press firmly upon the flaps 03 so the latter are caused to adhere properly, firmly and closely to the inner sides of the box or box lid. When the top form block B is lifted clear of the middle form block A the spring S draws back the blocks E-E into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 ready for the next operation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, in

place of the wedge F, a plate F is secured cause the blocks E-E" to expand as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 4, while the raising of the top form block causes the presser blocks E E to be drawn back into normal position by .the positive action of the slot' and pin connections. form of .device shown in Fig. 4 the shank bars g slide in the grooved or slotted plates g instead of through carriers, such as shown in e and Figs. 1-3 inclusive.

While I have herein shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to all the precise details of construction herein setforth byway of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

It will be understood, for instance, that the pressing blocks may be arranged and adapted for diflerent depths of boxes or lids, and that the pressing blocks may be mounted for sliding in any suitable or preferred manner.

What I claim is:

1. In a box coverin machine of the character described and a apted to press the inturned fla of a covering against the inside of a box, t e combination with a support for the box, of a sliding member in the plane of the support and positioned within the box In the v cent face of the box.

out of the path of movement of the'fla'p during the flap-inturning movement, and means for forcing said sliding member into contact with the flap to press said flap against the adjacent face of the box.

2. In a box covering machine of the character described and adapted to press the inturned flap of a cover against the inside of a box, the combination with a supportt'or the box of a laterally sliding member within the box during the fiap-intnrning movements, and a reciprocating member for forcing said sliding member into contact with the flap, to press said flap against the adja- 3. In a box covering machine of the character described andiida'pt ed to press the m-' turned flap of a cover against the inside of a box, a pair of sliding pressing blocks within the box during the flap-inturning movements and means for forcing said pressing blocks in opposite directions and into contact with the inturned flaps to press said flaps against th adjacent faces of the box.

4. In a box covering machine of the character described, a form block, a pair of sliding presser blocks within the box during the fiap-inturning movements, a second form block, and a member carried by the second form block for actuating the presser blocks and moving them into surface contact with the cover flaps.

5. In a box covering machine of the character described, a form block, a pair of oppositely sliding presser blocks mounted on the form block and adapted to contact with inturned flaps, and an expanding device adapted to actuate said blocks to move the latter outwardly.

6. In a box covering machine, of the character described, a form block provided with a pair of sliding pressing blocks adapted to contact with flaps to be pressed, a second form block movable relative to the first form block and having an expanding device adapted to actuate the sliding blocks to force the latter outwardly in opposite directions, and means for returning said form blocks inwardly to normal position.

7. In a box covering machine of the character described, a pair of sliding blockstill positioned within the box during flap-inturning movements and adapted to contact with flaps to be pressed, each block having a shank member, with the inner ends of said shankslying adjacent each other, a Wedge member adapted to be moved and inserted between the shank members to force said blocks outwardly and means for drawing said blocks inwardly after. the wedge has been withdrawn.

8. In a box covering machine of the character described, a form block, a pair of presser blocks carried by sliding on the form block, and a second form block having a depending wedge adapted to move downwardly between the presser blocks to force the latter outward.

9. In a box covering machine of the character described, a pair of sliding presser blocks positioned within the box during flap-inturning movements and adapted to contact with flaps to be pressed, a shank bar connected with each presser block, and means engaging the shank bars for moving said presser blocks outwardly in opposite directions.

10. In a box covering machine adapted to produce box elements with turned-in vertical flaps, means for pressin such inturn'ed flaps against th inside of t e box element, said means including slidable presser members within the box element during flap-inturning movements and normally out of the path of movement of the flaps while .being inturnedand movable into contact with such flaps when inturned, and means for moving said members.

11. In a box covering machine of the chap acter described, a vertically-reciprocating form block having recesses to permit free infolding of flaps, and a resser block structure carried by the form lock and movable horizontally into such recesses when the flaps have been inturned.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD THOMAS BURL'JPON.

Witnesses:

N. P. ANDREW, A. OUGHTON. 

